“The biggest issue we face, is what, is our deficit? What is the hole we are facing financially?” he said Tuesday morning.

The budget deficit is projected at $100 million.

Bellone will immediately appoint a finance committee to focus on the deficit and how best to deal with it.

He’s hopeful layoffs can be avoided, but it will be a challenge, one he says he intends to meet.

“We have 650 positions that are budgeted for six months and unless we deal with these numbers right away, the numbers and the math will speak for itself,” he said. “We’re all in this together. You know, this is a major crisis for the county and we’re all in it together. So, that’s how I expect we’ll move forward.”

“We are going to be challenging every assumption, looking at everything that we do and how do we streamline it and make it more efficient,” said Bellone.

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